Chess Puzzle #VC4iL — Expert, White to move, middlegame

Rating 2161 · Expert · crushing, endgame, master, master vs master, short.

Position

White: king g1; rook b2; bishop d6; knight c4; pawns c7/d3/e2/e4/g3/h2. Black: king h7; queen d7; bishops b7/g7; pawns d4/g6/h6. Black is ahead by 1 point of material. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Qc6 — queen d7→c6. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Rb6 — rook b2→b6. Opponent replies Qxb6 (queen c6→b6, captures rook).
  3. Best move: Nxb6 — knight c4→b6, captures queen.

Tactical themes

crushing, endgame, master, master vs master, short. The key move is Rb6.

Position data

FEN: 8/1bPq2bk/3B2pp/8/2NpP3/3P2P1/1R2P2P/6K1 b - - 2 39

Solve this puzzle interactively on Brilliant Knight — free tactics training powered by Stockfish 18, no signup required.

Puzzle data from the Lichess puzzle database (CC0). Analysis powered by Stockfish 18 in your browser.